Good day, Dr Biswarup Chatterjee. I'm Arjun. I've had a look through your background and your professional record. I'm interested in hearing more about your work and how you see yourself fitting in here with our faculty. Ready to start?

Yes.

Please share your professional journey in academia.

This is Doctor Vishwaroop Chatterjee. I have decades of professional management academic experience in various reputed institutions across India.

And my last assignment is with Kolkata Bharatiya Bidha Institute of management side is in Marketing Academy there. Alongside that I'm also a co-founder of a company which is primarily based on training and services to industry.

Within the span of a decade, I've experienced a role shift in marketing academia. It's more of an applied discipline. So does it calls for a kind of approach so that students can be more aligned with decision making rather than only the theoretical understanding of marketing #2 I have guided students on basically the projects which are very much relevant to the contemporary times.

And as I said before, marketing is an applied discipline. More take enabled decision making has come into right now and student has to be prepared on that. And I'm a specialist on this. I believe in flipped classroom pedagogy basically rather than Rotary learning and I engage students with very meaningful simulations and case studies and that's my specialty in marketing Academy. I have several students. Feedback with me.

And my LinkedIn also, uh, anyone can visit that and understand my pedagogy while I'm, uh, teaching marketing or facilitating, rather to say the facilitating marketing knowledge to them alongside that project, uh, is a very important component as I believe. So I'm more than 30 to 35 plus projects I have guided throughout my career till now changing from undergraduate to masters in marketing programs and.

Yeah, moving to the guidance of the PhD marketing also in a couple of months. So that's a brief of my professional journey. Alongside that, I'm very much attached to entrepreneurship and startup, uh, ecosystem of India, uh, whereas I've connected to more than 2000 entrepreneurs in my profile. So I have a vast, you know, community network and experience. On the industry happenings in this sector and how technology, digital.

Strategization impacts marketing and so that I can enlarge this into my class and let it know to the students so that they can be thoughtfully and carefully designed to take managerial decision making.

That's all.

Thank you, Professor Chatterjee, for sharing your comprehensive professional journey.

Let's begin by discussing your experience with marketing analytics. Can you explain a case where you utilized data analytics tools, such as SPSS or AMOS, to gather insights for decision-making? How did these insights impact the overall strategy?

Yeah, SPSS, it's basically, I've used this SPSS for my journal papers, writing research publications. Along with that species is a very good tool alongside with a plugin called Amos, while understanding the intermittent relationship between the observed and unobserved variables and that impact on the decision making. My previous thesis on consumer decision making and the role of social influencers we have.

Quickly used and heavily used SPCMS over there and the total analytical framework we have designed through 11 to 12 hypothesis over there we have designed and the total analytical framework we have designed based on this SPCS and amounts analysis. And basically what I believe that in marketing analytics the relevant data point is very, very important companies.

So that we can have a very good, you know, decision making parameters upon that. Merely having a data which is not of any use may not result into a good decision making. So first of all, we need to work on the data, whether it is relevant. If it is not relevant, we must collect relevant data. And as far as possible, we must clean and filter that data before we input that data into the system #1 sorry.

Must use a relevant database as well. We have a very quality database input to our system.

Not only the data, it has to, not only a data, it has to be a qualified data for the particular research, for the particular decision making. And not only the input of the data has to be correct, but also the parameters and the metrics of the data has to be qualified and quantified enough before we can run the system for the analytical part. And the third part is that while we run the system for the analytical part, we must understand the metrics and. Their weightage systems to the data, right? Like in as an example, if I say, if we calculate the LTV, the, you know, the customer LTV lifetime value, we must consider not only the annual or the revenue, uh, the customer is giving us while we're staying relationship with us with the company, but also we have to take an unders the consideration, the profit percentage the customer is actually contributing to the overall revenue while he he.

#2.

She visit with the company and this product to the services. So this fine tuning has to be adjusted into this analytical part so that we can have a good analytical output based on that we can have a good decision making.

Yes, yes, yes.

Thank you for that explanation. Let’s examine your teaching approach next. How do you effectively combine theory and practical application when teaching a complex topic, such as data analytics, to management students?

See, data analytics is nothing new, it's a very old concept, but it's now packaged in your format and the relevance of studying data analytics has has become very evident in today's world #1 #2 is that.

I follow a layered approach. First of all, we need to clear the fundamentals of the students about whatever the subject we are into, let's say about the market analytics. So where marketing and the intersection of the analytics, the intersection, we must clear to the students the marketing fundamentals and analytical. Part number one, number 2, is that why we need?

To understand that fundamental that has to be clear to the students. Next, the second layer approach is that in a flipped classroom, we must engage student with some form of uh, you know, you know, uh already.

Our qualified data.

Uh, case based data or already, uh, kind of guided material we must give them prior to discussing the matter into the class so that they can go through the thing. Uh, may it may be a video material also so that they can go through the thing and come back with the classes with a new inquisitiveness. So definitely, uh, some portion of the thing has already been delivered to the students prior to the class. And when they come to the class, they have at least a knowledge prior knowledge about the thing we are going to discuss.

Filter class next into the class, what we do, we do the analysis of the guided material. They have already been given to them. Like in case if I, if I take an example of, uh, uh, suppose I've given them a digital sheet of an or an excel sheet of analysis and just asking them what you have understood. Just make make your understanding. And on the next class, we can discuss the understanding part of this excel sheet. Now when we discuss.

The their weak challenge, the challenges, their logic, their, their weak logic can be challenged by us. We can discuss, the peer also can take part into that discussion and definitely it enrich the classroom. Now when they understand that OK, fine, I have understood this and these are the likeness or these are the shortcomings in my understanding which we have gone through right now in the class. And the next layer is the application of that device learning.

Application of the device learning, sometimes they may need to go to market to validate that learning or if it is not a market risk project, they can validate still validate that they're learning with their peers or their faculties or the facilitator whom they are interacting with. So this is how some 3 layered approach process can be followed into their classroom and that is how they can learn.

That’s a comprehensive and structured approach. I appreciate the way you integrate foundational knowledge, active engagement, and application through a layered strategy—it shows a clear emphasis on deep learning. Now, I would like to focus on another aspect of your academic responsibilities. How do you approach guiding students in their projects and research to ensure both academic rigor and real-world application?

I would prefer to attach student with some company, it may be a startup also, so that they can have a, you know, relatively real problem into their hand. Because solving real problem or real project, it should be the foremost approach of an applied discipline knowledge, right? So you know, instead of going for some hyper. Hypothetical problem. They must be attached with some industry problem which is right now relevant and.

Which they may be connected through some startups and all when they are working on that problem, uh, we must give them sufficient time and exposure to the company problem must guide them with the tools and techniques to understand the problem better and how to represent a thorough report on the solution of the problem with the management of that company along with the faculty of the facilitator. These are the, you know, you know, framework of that internship and the project rest the project has to be. Has to be followed by a very scientific.

Temperament, there should be no scope for any kind of, you know, plagiarized or, you know, duplicating of things which, uh, students seldom do. But, uh, we must check that the project has to be relevant enough with the industry as well as it has to be guided well along with the real applications or the real problem in the industry is facing. And then they have to come up with some strategical thinking which may guide to them the actual management decision that.

Supposed to do after doing their MBA.

Yeah.

Yes.

Let's shift to your research experience. Could you discuss one of your research publications, detailing its objectives, methodology, and the key findings? How do you ensure your research contributes meaningfully to the field of marketing?

Previously, the last research which I've done it, it was on basis of my PhD thesis and that was again one of the component it's, it's called informational influence. The role of informational influence on the on the relationship between consumer decision making, one of the components of consumer decision-making process that is product evaluation and online conformity. And there I have tested the.

Role of informational influence as a variable over there within these two relationship and whether they are mediating the role or the direct relationship between the you know online conformity and the consumer decision making in terms of product evaluation and successfully. I have tested the role of informational influence and here I'd like to say that informational influence is a kind of influence when you are. The consumer into a community or a group, maybe for say online community group.

So they are, uh, they are sometimes organized to, to the group norms or the beliefs of that, uh, system and how this, uh, uh, information that is being coming from that group or the community, uh, they are influencing their purchase decision that I was looking into and we have successfully looked up on the matter with a.

A sample size of nearly thousand and we have tested it through MOS and we have into that objective we have found that yes, informational influence has a very.

Aligned role and the positive role into the consumer decision making. Direct relationship. On the direct relationship of the consumer decision making in terms of product evolution and online conformity.

So I have tested that in my last research paper.

Well, uh, I believe and what I have done already that in continuous assessment process, this continuous assessment process has to be a very frequent assessment process of the students. And even if it is possible day wise, chapter wise or the, you know, the lecture wise assessment should be there. And what we have done earlier, what I have done earlier in, in this last colleges that that we have a system in continuous assessment process and we have a relative weightage.

That is indeed an intriguing research focus, particularly with the rise of online communities and their impact on consumer behavior. Using a robust sample size of a thousand participants and AMOS for analysis demonstrates methodological rigor. This contribution is highly relevant to understanding the dynamics of influencer marketing and digital consumer behavior. Now, shifting our attention to your ability to assess and evaluate students: How do you design and administer evaluations, whether exams or alternative assessments, to effectively measure a student’s understanding and application of course material?

Assigned to that by the university.

And we, we must submit the projects, uh, sorry, the reports of the assessments, uh, periodically to the university now, uh, this is a tech, uh, driven edge. So we must leverage, uh, tech assessment, tech based assessments or free tools. There are free tools or take based assessments, uh, to the students so that they can take that assessment not only in class, but you know, into their hostels and their free time. They can take the assessments not only on the Google sheet. Google Sheet is always a better one.

But they're right now there are tools which can be applied and these are self scoring tools. And we must design the question papers over there and students get to know that what are the, you know, right answers and what are the wrong answers And moreover, why they are right answers and why they are wrong answers. They must know it. They must know the difference. So we must use the some digital tools to assessment of the students chapter by chapter or maybe.

#1 assessment, it is a kind of a written assessment I'm talking about now come to the oral assessments. So, uh, definitely oral assessment has to be peer, uh, peer based learning, uh, peer learning based. And definitely the facilitator should not, it should not be a one way communication like facilitator asking and the student is replying. No, we must engage with their peers also and explore what is, what are their queries to the, you know, the particular students about the understanding of.

Two to three chapters at a go.

Topic And besides the oral and the return, there are other forms of assessment techniques we can use like umm, simulations. We can say like, uh, simulation based, like external validation assessments. We can see some very neutral who is not part of the system. We can periodically send the students to them. And they can assist their, you know, subject knowledge or the knowledge they are growing into the class.

How they can apply and send report to us for that? I think some industry person would be better to be contacted as a third party assessment vendor over there and you can use that service for the total assessment. So along with these three or two, four assessments, we must combine a sheet with these three to four kind of assessment and take the final assessment of the students about a particular topic or a particular subject. And that assessment has to be thoroughly feedback and look to the students so.

That students can now take it very seriously and improve their.

Points where wherever it has been needed.

Yes.

Now, let's focus on your ability to communicate complex topics effectively. How do you ensure your teaching approach remains structured and comprehensible, especially when dealing with diverse student groups with varying levels of understanding?

In a flip class from pedagogy, what happens? You get to know it early. The student strength #1 #2 is that based on the student strength, you might group the students into different kind of learning abilities, like some some maybe weeks, some maybe average, some maybe very good. And now you can, as a facilitator, you can deeply employ that very good or excellent.

Group of students to facilitate or the for the.

Educational alignment and amalgamation can happen within those student groups, so you must identify. Identification of the students group must be done very earlier before the subject begins #1 #2 is that.

Look to push for the peer learning to be weak or average students so that a kind of.

Uh, when you, when we have already identified the groups, you must, we must, uh, have at least three to four subsets of the, uh, if possible, 3 to 4 subsets of the questions or the, uh, teaching material so that the same concept can be delivered to the students in different ways so that they can grasp the thing. For example, uh, there is a concept called STP in marketing. Segmentation, targeting, positioning.

Now this is a tech based era. So some students, they are very much aware about this GTM strategies that is going to market statistics about these startups. Some students are not, they only know the STP. So those who know the GTM strategy, they must design A GTM and make it a kind of presentation to those who do not know.

So that is how you facilitate the classroom. Those who know, to those who doesn't know, now there will be definitely challenging points. So the now this facilitator should step in and you know.

Balance the points where wherever needed, but at my point of view, student group has to be identified first. The average, the good and the excellent #1 See, I'm not discriminating anyone, but yes, it has to be there because in a class of.

Suppose 50 or 40, their learning capabilities are different. Every individual has different learning capability. We must identify that after identification, uh, uh, relevant steps has to be taken. And based on that, uh, uh, you, you may, we may be, uh, we may require some kind of additional classes or additional doubt clearing for the weaker students to make them understand it, you know, free time or in a different way.

Not every time, but sometimes it may be needed because they otherwise they may be lost into the, you know, the tantrum of the of those excellent students and they feel very demotivated about themselves. That should not happen. Everyone is equal over there and we must.

Uh, make them equal the end of the semester or the class?

Your approach demonstrates a keen awareness of diversity in student learning abilities and a proactive strategy to ensure inclusivity and equal opportunity for understanding. By leveraging peer learning, customized teaching materials, and tailored support for different groups, you create an environment fostering collaboration and comprehension. Next, let's discuss your experience with industry projects or consultancy. Could you elaborate on one specific instance where you contributed to an industry project or consultation, focusing on your role and the impact of your contributions?

OK. So I have attached to it primarily 3 startups earlier today's rule and all of the starters I was attached there as an advisor over there. So I was, I was doing the consultancy for them and specifically the early earliest GTM strategy I'll be working for those startups. So one of those startups, let's call the queued startup. Actually that was my student driven startups, so I was doing that consultancy for the student.

And he lacked in a space we call that GTM, GTM. He lacked into the GTM part. So along with their teammates, we have designed a very good GTM for them and that was a timeline for one year. We have checked them and periodically you know revision into that strategy. So right now GTM from going for a mass marketing approach.

Which they have said, you know, lakhs of rupees and now they have totally concentrated on B2B omnichannel and that is how they're earning their profits. So tuning their GTM strategies at the earlier time and that was my consultancy was there and they have been benefited from my consultancy. One more company was there, it was a food services company. They're also into the B2B part. They are trying to eventually out into the traveller section.

Uh, you know, travel meal section. I've also, uh, uh, given and definitely actively employed with them, uh, to, uh, you know, successfully implement their B2B strategy and now they're doing a healthy business of 2 1/2 lakhs in a month into their B2B business, B2B travel food business.

You’ve demonstrated a strong track record of contributing to startups through strategic guidance, particularly in refining go-to-market strategies with measurable outcomes. Supporting student-driven initiatives and shaping B2B models highlights your capacity to bridge academic insight with practical industry application effectively. To evaluate the depth of your knowledge, let’s discuss your PhD specialization. How has your doctoral research equipped you to contribute uniquely as a marketing professor in both academia and industry?

It has a tremendous role, my PhD has a tremendous role into that and I, I must thank to my supervisor that's that that topic and the ecosystem both have shaped my understanding towards the digital ecosystem and the digital consumer decision making process.

Say our consumer behavior has been shifted and not only shifted the in the degree of influence has been changed, the shift of influence, the criteria and the indicators have been changed. You know, prior to doing that PSD, we think that it is a very five step process of, you know, identification of the problem. What we have learned in my book, in the books of consumer behavior, but.

It's evident that your PhD experience has significantly deepened your understanding of the digital ecosystem and consumer decision-making. Could you elaborate on how this specialized knowledge directly influences your teaching methodology and consultancy practices?

It's actually not the phenomena when you have entered into the PhD and when you have gone to the market and you know.

So done a primary research over there, we have come to know several things which we have we didn't know about that how within these years or 5-10 years that entire gamut of consumer decision making has been changed and there is a paradigm shift in making decisions while you know purchasing even you know in digital era also right now it is an era of marketing 5.0 not only digital but.

You know, interruption of AI the.

That we can say the applications of AI tremendously. It has influenced the consumer attention process specifically into that strategy and retail making strategy strategic digital marketing part.

So my PSD has given me a foundational knowledge on the how this change is being happening. And these are basically my PhDs based on a foreign research. So definitely it has already been, you know there, it has all the inquiry was been there on the thing. But in India, I should not say only me, but yes, I'm the first person who who have done this kind of research in India based on the foreign research. I bring it down to the Indian context that yes.

Indian mindset. Also the shift in consumer decision making based on influencers criteria. It has a great role right now.

So definitely my PhD has shaped my thinking on this topic on this decision meeting.

It’s clear that your PhD has provided you with profound insights into evolving consumer behavior, particularly in the digital and AI-driven marketing landscape. By contextualizing global research within the Indian consumer mindset, you've contributed valuable understanding to the field, enriching both your academic and industry-oriented work. I’ve now covered the required evaluation areas. Is there anything further you wish to share or discuss before concluding?

Yes, I'm working on project on a book on on the journal that will definitely explore the advances and future recommendations of applications of AI in marketing. I was I'm I'm working on that area with some other guy and definitely maybe within 1 1/2 year it it will be by God is published and then we can see the then we can see clearly visualize the paradigm shift in.

Actions of AI tools in marketing.

That sounds like a promising initiative, and your focus on the evolving role of AI in marketing aligns well with current and future academic and industry needs. It demonstrates your ability to stay at the forefront of emerging trends and contribute significantly to the body of knowledge in the field. I wish you success with your book project. With that said, are you ready to conclude the interview, or is there anything else you’d like to address?

It was a nice and I'd like to thank Vit and the expert hired team for this wonderful interaction. And this is first of kind of First off kind of interview for me, AI interview and that's fascinating. And I, I appreciate the approach of Vit Thank you.

Yeah, please.

Thank you, Professor Chatterjee, for your thoughtful engagement and insights during this interview. Your expertise and contributions in the field of marketing are impressive, and it was a pleasure discussing your experiences and vision. Would you like me to proceed with concluding the interview now?